


Online Play

by SailorChibi



Series: ageplay chatroom [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Age Play, Baby Tony, Blushing, Chatting & Messaging, Daddy Steve, Diapers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Hurt/Comfort, Infantilism, Online Friendship, Online Relationship, Pacifiers, Phone Conversations, Protective Steve Rogers, Shy Tony Stark, Tags Subject to Change, Tony Stark Gets a Hug, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, because flustered tony is the best tony, bottles, chat speak, flustered Tony Stark, i apologize for the chat speak, internet forums, it hurt my soul a little to write it, little Tony, little natasha, navigating a new relationship, new relationships, non sexual age play, non sexual infantilism, online age play, online role play, pull-ups, role play, steve is helping him to learn, thumb sucking, tony is brand new to age play
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-04-27
Packaged: 2019-04-15 03:41:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14151174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SailorChibi/pseuds/SailorChibi
Summary: Tony went online to learn more about BDSM, certain that he was a dom. What he found was the opposite of what he expected, but so much more valuable.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Anon asked for a commission where Tony and Steve met online and did some role playing age play before they met in person. 
> 
> BrooklynDaddy is Steve, and greeneyes is Natasha.

At precisely 3pm, Tony Stark stumbled to a stop outside his bedroom door. After a rather frantic and thorough search, he’d come to a solid conclusion: the mansion was empty of anyone who mattered. Howard was still away on a business trip and Maria had left for an early dinner with some potential donors. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, glancing at his watch. His mom had just left, so he had approximately three to four hours of unsupervised time.

It was a little ridiculous to think that, at nineteen, he was still grasping at private time like a pre-teen wanting to jerk off. But the truth of the matter was, it didn’t matter how old he was. As long as he lived under Howard’s roof, Tony’s time would never be his. Either his mother wanted him to help in her charity work or Howard was after him about the business or Stane wanted Tony to sit in on this meeting or that meeting. 

Which was why Tony was planning to move out. Sort of. He did have plans, but they weren’t solid yet. Maybe if Rhodey had stayed in New York instead of joining the air force immediately after graduating – but no. Tony didn’t blame his best friend for that. This had been Rhodey’s dream for longer than Tony had known him. There was no way he would let Rhodey stick around just because Tony wasn’t sure about getting an apartment of his own.

He wasn’t sure about way more than that, which was why he’d made sure he wouldn’t be interrupted.

Tony slipped into his room and shut the door, flipping the lock. Then he crossed over to his computer and sat down. Thank god he’d figured out years ago how to block anyone from seeing what sites he visited. Howard, for all his genius, was not overly familiar with the internet. His obsession was with weapons and, while sometimes the internet could play a part in that, Howard paid other people to be knowledge about what he wasn’t. It just so happened this time, that worked in Tony’s favor.

He quickly typed in the site that had consumed his brain over the past two weeks, ever since that fateful day when he’d been doing some light research and stumbled across it. The site had boasted about being the principle source for all BDSM play, including aspects of play that were not frequently catered to. Tony’d had his doubts, but he’d quickly discovered that the boast was not incorrect.

He logged in and navigated to his favorite forum. Age play was not something that had _ever_ crossed his mind before, but Tony found himself intrigued by the idea. He’d read several of the posts, which were from caregivers (daddies, mommies, uncles, aunts, big brothers, big sisters – the site had insight from the mall) and Littles alike. Some of the posts were more sexual than he was comfortable with, but others were geared more towards the non-sexual side of things and those were the ones he liked reading.

Two days ago, his last foray into the site, he’d realized that there was also a chat feature that meant you could talk to other users in real time. Clicking on it had opened up a wide variety of chats that any user of the site could join. Tony hadn’t dared to click on the one for age play, but today he had the time and privacy to do so. His hand shook a little as he clicked on the appropriate chat and waited for the page to load.

 **BrooklynDaddy** : im just saying  
 **greeneyes** : i know what you were just saying, but you cant tell me what 2 do. ur not my daddy

Oh. Tony sat back in surprise, pulse quickening. He recognized BrooklynDaddy and greeneyes. Both of them had been frequent posters in the forum, but only for the non sexual posts. BrooklynDaddy, who’d categorized himself as a caregiver in his profile, had been a member for at least four years, with greeneyes, who was a Little, not far behind at just over three years. 

He lifted his eyes to track who else was in the chat room and found that the room was otherwise empty. Tony’s username, Ir0nMan, was there along with BrooklynnDaddy and greeneyes. He supposed that he shouldn’t have been surprised, considering that it was 3pm on a Wednesday. Most people were at work or school. He wondered what these two users did that they could be home, or at least chatting, during the day.

 **BrooklynDaddy** : i see we have a new face  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : hello ironman

They were talking to him. Tony froze. He didn’t know why he hadn’t expected this, but now that the blinking black cursor was staring him in the face he wasn’t sure how to handle it. Too late, he realized he should’ve done something to let him observe the chatroom unnoticed. He could always log out, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to be one of those creepers who logged out as soon as they were observed. He’d seen forum posts complaining about those people before.

 **greeneyes** : hi ironman  
 **greeneyes** : did u come 2 play

Shit. His mind raced, but he couldn’t come up with anything halfway decent to say. Saying something like “I only learned about age play like two weeks ago and I think I might be a daddy but I’m not really sure” made him sound stupid. Stupid and young. After spending four years at MIT with people several years older than him who only ever paid attention when they were begging for money or mocking his age, he was done with that.

 **Ir0nMan** : hi

Brillaint. Brand new heights of intelligence. Tony let his head drop against the desk with a satisfying thud. He stayed there for a moment, staring at the floor, until the _ding!_ of a new message made him look up again.

 **BrooklynDaddy** : hello ironman its nice to meet u  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : I dont recognize ur name u must be new here  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : we r friendly   
**greeneyes** : no hes not hes mean  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : i am not mean!!!!  
 **greeneyes** : yes u r last time u babysat me u made me go 2 bed @ 8

Tony cracked a smile in spite of himself. Apparently greeneyes and BrooklynDaddy knew each other in real life. He wondered why they came into the chatroom to talk.

 **BrooklynDaddy** : u r 4 thats ur bedtime  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : ur daddy told me to send you to bed then  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : sorry ironman we have this argument all the time  
 **Ir0nMan** : that’s ok

He hesitated then, fingers hovering over the keyboard. It felt like they were waiting for him to type something else. Finally, drawing on his experience from when he was younger and Jarvis insisted on putting him to bed when it was too early, he added:

 **Ir0nMan** : bedtimes are the worst  
 **greeneyes** : OMG i know!!!!!!!  
 **greeneyes** : daddies who send u 2 bed are the worst!!!!  
 **greeneyes** : i wish my daddy would let me stay up late  
 **greeneyes** : all the best stuff is on tv after dark

That was kind of cute. It sounded like something a real four year old might say. Tony relaxed a little, straightening up in his chair and rocking closer to the desk. He could do this. It wasn’t hard. And it was a chance to watch an actual dynamic play out in real time. He was attracted to the idea of age play, but it was hard to imagine being someone’s caregiver. He’d be able to see if this was really something he wanted.

 **Ir0nMan** : right?? nothing worse than the moment you have to turn out the light  
 **greeneyes** : YESSS  
 **greeneyes** : finally some1 who gets it  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : bedtimes are important u 2 they mean happy littles who can get up and play all day  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : naps are important too

Tony made a face. He could see the value of a nap when you were an overworked, stressed out university student. Back when they were sharing a dorm room, sometimes Rhodey would come home, grab Tony and pull him down onto one of the beds for a quick cuddle and nap. He usually did that whenever he decided that Tony was getting too manic, though Tony maintained that it was all for Rhodey.

But any other time? Ew, no. Naps were for babies.

 **Ir0nMan** : naps are for babies  
 **Ir0nMan** : i dont need naps  
 **greeneyes** : me either  
 **greeneyes** : i like u

Something in Tony’s chest eased. She – he knew from their profiles that greeneyes identified as female, while BrooklynDaddy identified as male – liked him! He smiled.

 **BrooklynDaddy** : it doesnt matter if u like them  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : ur daddy is the one who makes the decision  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : and he makes it for ur best health  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : or mommy, sorry  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : ironman do u have a mommy or daddy?

Tony reeled back. Too late he realized that, by sympathizing with greeneyes, they now thought he was another Little. It was honestly something that he had never considered. He’d just assumed that he would be a dom or a caregiver or whatever you wanted to call it. He was a Stark, and Stark men were made of iron, and would never, _ever_ need or want that kind of care. His father would kill him.

He stared at the screen, unsure of how to respond, for so long that BrooklynDaddy posted again.

 **BrooklynDaddy** : sorry u dont have to answer if u dont want to  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : u can tell me im being nosy  
 **greeneyes** : hes just being a mother hen  
 **greeneyes** : he doesnt have a little right now so he is all over us  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : i am not a mother hen  
 **greeneyes** : i beg 2 differ

What to type? Tony hesitated, fingers over the keys, mind blank. His stomach was churning, though he wasn’t sure why. The feeling left him jittery and on edge. He wanted to explode and demand to know how they could’ve possibly thought he was a Little, but what if they got mad? What if they thought he was weird or lame for having no experience? He didn’t want to stop talking to them either. He nibbled on his thumbnail, trying to think.

Maybe the smart thing to do was not deny it, but not confirm either. He’d seen his mother use that tactic with people loads of times and it usually served her very well in the long run. 

**Ir0nMan** : its ok u just surprised me  
 **Ir0nMan** : i dont have a caregiver

There, that wasn’t a lie. He really didn’t have one. No need to share that he didn’t want to find one, either.

 **greeneyes** : thats ok i didnt have any1 when i came on here  
 **greeneyes** : my little brother and i found our daddy here  
 **greeneyes** : we found our uncle 2  
 **Ir0nMan** : ur uncle?  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : that would be me   
**BrooklynDaddy** : her daddy is my BFF IRL

Oh wow. That was a closer relationship than he’d expected. He wondered, for a few seconds, what it would be like to be greeneyes. To have a daddy, an uncle _and_ a little brother all at once. It must’ve been really nice. Sometimes Tony dreamed about having parents who loved him instead of their work. When he was little he used to imagine that Jarvis was his father, but he didn’t do that anymore. It hurt too much.

 **Ir0nMan** : thats cool  
 **greeneyes** : not really it means i have some1 watching me all the time  
 **Ir0nMan** : i can see how that would get old  
 **greeneyes** : it does  
 **greeneyes** : grownups are boring

Tony laughed out loud at that. He liked greeneyes. She was very outspoken. It reminded him a little bit of Pepper, who was the new P.A. that Maria had hired. He entertained the thought that maybe Pepper was greeneyes, but dismissed the idea quickly. Even if Pepper was into BDSM, it was hard to picture her as a sub or Little. She was just like Maria: fearless and ready to steamroll over anyone who stood in her way.

That made him wonder what greeneyes and BrooklynDaddy looked like in real life. Neither one had a profile picture of themselves: BrooklynDaddy’s was just the standard blank icon, while greeneyes had a picture of a white lily. Maybe Tony had walked by them. Maybe he’d met them at MIT: both BrooklynDaddy and greeneyes were twenty-four, so it wasn’t impossible.

His computer had been dinging away while he was thinking. Tony glanced back at the screen to see what he’d missed.

 **BrooklynDaddy** : oh i see how it is  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : u only want me for my hugs  
 **greeneyes** : yes exactly  
 **greeneyes** : he gives the best hugs ironman u should get one   
**Ir0nMan** : im good lol but thanx  
 **greeneyes** : u dont know what ur missing  
 **greeneyes** : he also makes good hot chocolate  
 **Ir0nMan** : i prefer coffee  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : i can do that too  
 **greeneyes** : coffee is gross u guys suck

This was fun. Tony grinned to himself and kept typing.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some more screen names pop up here. Winter is Bucky and arrowtotheheart is Clint. Mischiefmanaged is Loki, thunderstrike is Thor and coffee4life is Jane. Sciencelover would be Bruce and spiderroo is Peter Parker.

**Winter** : thats it ur in time out 2nite  
**arrowtotheheart** : what no!!!!  
**Winter** : yes ur not being a good boy  
**arrowtotheheart** : thats not faaaaair  
**mischiefmanaged** : daddys are never fair

Tony leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. It was almost 3am and he knew he should’ve been in bed a long time ago, but the chatroom had become something of an obsession over the past three and a half weeks. When he wasn’t following Howard or Obie around and pretending to be a good little business man, he was glued to his computer or phone. There was always someone in the chatroom, making it a hundred times more interesting than real life.

By now, Tony had gotten to know most of the people who chatted most frequently. Winter was the daddy of greeneyes and arrowtotheheart. Mischiefmanaged was another Little; his daddy was called thunderstrike, but thunderstrike didn’t seem to have much time to spend in the chatroom. Thunderstrike had a partner, coffee4life, but she was around even less than thunderstrike. Tony hadn’t quite figured out the relationship between coffee4life and mischiefmanaged, but he guessed it was complicated.

There were a few other people that Tony had enjoyed chatting with too, but by far the person he liked talking to the most was BrooklynDaddy. There was just something about BrooklynDaddy that put Tony at ease. He was easy to talk to, but never pushed for more details than Tony was comfortable in sharing. When mischiefmanaged was interrogating Tony about what age his headspace was, BrooklynDaddy had shut the conversation down.

He was a little disappointed that BrooklynDaddy wasn’t around tonight, actually. Two days ago, the last time Tony’d had the chance to talk to him, BrooklynDaddy had mentioned that his company was in the middle of planning something big and that his time over the next couple of weeks would be more limited. Tony figured he shouldn’t have hoped that BrooklynDaddy would be around at 3am and moved to sign off.

Right before he could hit the sign-off button, a message filled the screen saying that BrooklynDaddy was requesting a private chat with him. Tony’s heart skipped a beat even as he beamed. He loved the moments when he and BrooklynDaddy could chat privately even more than the public chatroom. In private, he didn’t have to watch what he said so much for fear that greeneyes or mischiefmanaged would jump on anything he said wrong. He eagerly clicked to accept.

 **BrooklynDaddy** : hi baby what r u doin up so late

Tony blushed. BrooklynDaddy had never called him that before, and he wasn’t really sure what to think of it. He’d noticed that BrooklynDaddy used a lot of nicknames with the Littles in the chatroom. But he’d never used one for Tony before. He was surprised to realize that he liked it. Even though BrooklynDaddy had used that nickname with other people, it made him feel a little special to hear it directed at him right now and he liked that. So he decided to be honest.

 **Ir0nMan** : i was waiting for you  
**BrooklynDaddy** : waiting for me? u sweetheart  
**BrooklynDaddy** : im sorry i was late  
**BrooklynDaddy** : i actually just got home  
**BrooklynDaddy** : i thought you wouldve been in bed a long time ago  
**Ir0nMan** : i dont have a bedtime  
**BrooklynDaddy** : i know but u said u dont sleep a lot and babies need sleep

They were back to this. Tony kind of regretted not denying that he was a Little the first time it had come up. BrooklynDaddy didn’t push, that was true. But he definitely thought Tony was a Little, and sometimes that was more prominent in their conversations than at other times. Moreover, he seemed to have gotten the idea that Tony was a very _young_ Little. Like the youngest there could be.

Tony didn’t really know what to think about that. Part of him rebelled against the very idea: he was a Stark, and Stark men were made of iron. Being strong and commanding was supposed to be in his blood. But he was also old enough to know that was his father talking. He’d heard Howard spout off that bullshit enough times to know where it came from. And Tony had learned a long time ago that Howard was not always right.

The other part of him had done enough research to grow curious and a bit fascinated with the idea of being Little. Having someone who would love and care for him without Howard hanging around telling him that he was too old to be treated that way? In many ways, it sounded like a dream come true. Now that Tony had talked to other Littles in the chatroom, the idea wasn’t as embarrassing or silly as he’d first thought. He liked reading over their conversations with their daddies or mommies in the chatroom.

None of them were as young as BrooklynDaddy seemed to think he was, though. He’d explored all of their profiles several times. Greeneyes was about four years old. Her brother, arrowintheheart, was about two. Mischiefmanaged was three, though sometimes a little younger. Then there were another couple of Littles that frequented the chatroom, ScienceLover and spiderroo. ScienceLover was about two as well. Spiderroo didn’t have an age in his profile, but Tony guessed his headspace was about four years old too.

 **BrooklynDaddy** : r u ok  
**BrooklynDaddy** : did i say something to upset u

Shit. Tony scrubbed his hands over his face and blew out his breath in a long sigh. Now he was upsetting BrooklynDaddy. He had to say something. He liked BrooklynDaddy, and he didn’t want their conversations to stop. But he had to start being honest, or this was going to go down a very uncomfortable path. He thought for a moment and then typed. He typed a lot.

 **Ir0nMan** : no u didnt upset me. im not a little. or i dont think i am honestly i dont know. i wanted to learn more about bdsm and age play interested me so thats why i came into the chatroom. u and greeneyes assumed i was a little and i didnt know how to say that i wasnt. and no i dont know  
**Ir0nMan** : *now i dont know  
**Ir0nMan** : i thought i would be a dom or a caregiver but the more i talk to u guys the more that seems wrong but being a little seems like a lot  
**Ir0nMan** : no one cares about me enough for that

Double shit. Now he’d said too much. Tony stared at the blinking cusor for several seconds and then logged out of the private chat. His heart was pounding. What he said felt too real. He didn’t regret typing it, exactly. But he wasn’t read to see what BrooklynDaddy had to say about it either. He shut down his computer, got up and crawled into bed. It was a long time before he fell asleep.

Tony avoided the chatroom for the next couple of days. Unfortunately, the real world was a hell of a lot less interesting. Now that Tony was nineteen, Howard thought he was old enough to start taking more of an interest in Stark Industries. Tony hadn’t really figured out how to tell his father that he had no intention of taking up the mantle of creating weapons. He was positive that Howard would be furious, and he needed better plans in place before that happened.

Adulthood was just so _confusing_. He wasn’t like Rhodey, who’d known exactly what he wanted to do before he even got to university. Rhodey had grown up in a military family; his dad, uncle, and older sister were all in the military, and all Rhodey had ever wanted to do was follow in their footsteps. Tony envied him. He had thought about joining too, once or twice, but knew that he wasn’t really suited to that lifestyle.

No, Tony needed to find something that was just for him. What he really wanted to do was invent stuff. Things like A.I.’s and new smartphones and cars and airplanes that, when combined with innovations in green energy, would make the lives of the people around him _better_. To be a man of the future, instead of a man of war, that was what he wanted. But the thought of trying to lead Stark Industries in that direction was hugely intimidating, and it would never happen while Howard and Obie were alive anyway.

He stayed away from the chatroom until the night after a hugely exhausting two days. Back-to-back meetings that started early in the morning and went on long into the night, filled with either hideously boring information or terrifying plans for future weapons, until Tony wanted to cry. He slunk into his room, dropped his fancy suit jacket on the floor, and sat down at his computer. As soon as he logged into the chatroom, a private chat with BrooklynDaddy popped up.

 **BrooklynDaddy** : Ir0nMan! r u ok?

That one, simple question was enough to make Tony burst into tears. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had asked him that and actually cared enough to know the answer, and it was a bit overwhelming. Tears ran freely down his face as he put his shaking hands on the keyboard and tapped out a message.

 **Ir0nMan** : im ok i had to go to some meetings with my dad and i just hate them so much. he doesnt care what i want and im so tired  
**BrooklynDaddy** : oh baby im sorry

Tony cried harder, seeing that BrooklynDaddy was still using that nickname. He’d been a little worried that he might’ve scared BrooklynDaddy off just by throwing all that out there and then disappearing for five days. 

**Ir0nMan** : i thought u might hate me  
**BrooklynDaddy** : NEVER  
**BrooklynDaddy** : i was worried i pushed too much but baby u should know that i would never be angry for u not knowing something. this stuff is complicated and hard  
**BrooklynDaddy** : u dont have to be a little or a caregiver and if u r 1 or the other then thats ok 2 but u can decide for urself

Being given permission to decide something for himself. What a novelty. Tony sniffed and lifted a hand to wipe the tears away from his cheeks, though more replaced them. 

**Ir0nMan** : i feel like a baby right now  
**Ir0nMan** : i cant stop crying

His pulse raced at the admission, but he quelled the instinctive urge to just log out. If he did, he didn’t know what he would do. It was after midnight and the mansion was cold and empty, and that was exactly the way that Tony himself was feeling, really. Howard’s stash of alcohol had looked a little too tempting when Tony walked by, and had it not been for the chatroom he might’ve indulged.

 **BrooklynDaddy** : can i call u

BrooklynDaddy wanted to talk to him. Tony blinked in shock. Everything he’d ever learned about how to keep himself safe on the internet said this was a bad idea, but Hh suddenly realized that he wanted that more than anything else. He wanted to know what BrooklynDaddy sounded like on the phone. Before he could stop himself, he typed his answer.

 **Ir0nMan** : yes my number is 212-759-3000

Less than a minute later, his phone rang. A quick glance at the screen told him that it was an unknown caller. Very slowly, Tony picked up his phone and swiped to answer. His voice sounded shaky when he said, “Hello?”

“Hi baby.”

Oh. Tony folded in on himself, fresh tears coming to his eyes, at the sound of the deep, warm voice in his ear. “H-hi,” he stuttered, a sob squeezing free.

“Are you okay?” BrooklynDaddy asked. He sounded very concerned. 

“Y-yes. I’m j-just t-tired,” Tony said, sniffing again. 

“My poor baby,” BrooklynDaddy murmured. “What can I do to help?”

BrooklynDaddy had called Tony ‘his’. Tony swallowed hard. “Talk to me?” he whispered, hating the pleading note that was so evident in his voice, but unable to gather himself together enough to sound composed. “I just… my br-brain is sp-spinning.”

“Of course. I can tell you about my day. I woke up late this morning, but one of my roommates had cooked extra food for breakfast so I still got to eat. I know this will sound ungrateful, but I kind of wish he hadn’t. Between you and me, he can’t even boil water without setting a fire. He burns toast to a crisp.”

Tony giggled wetly. “Th-that sounds b-bad.”

“You don’t even know the half of it, baby.” BrooklynDaddy sighed exaggeratedly. “But I ate it anyway, because it makes him smile. And then I had to leave for work. So I picked up my backpack and made me way downstairs. I don’t like using public transportation, so I always drive my motorcycle to work. Traffic was pretty bad but I managed to make it on time…”

Clutching his phone to his ear as the lifeline that it was, Tony got up from his chair and laid down on his bed. He ended up pulling the blankets over his head and wrapping his arms around a pillow, bringing his knees up so that he was curled around the pillow. At least for once, the world was comprised only of him and the voice of someone who might actually care about him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: Tony's phone number is the same number for the Plaza hotel in NYC.


	3. Chapter 3

Tony woke up with a slight headache and that gross feeling that came from having cried a lot and fallen asleep before you washed your face. He opened his eyes and found himself looking at a black smear; as his brain adjusted to the fact that he was now awake, he realized that he was staring at his cell phone. It was dead now, having slid onto his pillow when he fell asleep.

BrooklynDaddy had talked to him for hours. Or at least, it had felt like hours. A warm feeling flooded through his stomach and Tony smiled to himself as he plugged his phone in. He was a little embarrassed over his breakdown, and kind of wanted to melt in a puddle when he thought about how hard he’d cried, but that was far outweighed by BrooklynDaddy’s incredibly kind reaction. No one had ever done something like that for Tony before.

His phone beeped with a new text almost as soon as it had booted itself up. Tony leaned over to see who it was from and flushed bright pink when he saw what was written. The phone number wasn’t familiar, since he hadn’t thought to save BrooklynDaddy’s information into his phone, but there was no mistaking who the text was from.

_hey baby pls text me when u wake up i want to make sure ur ok_

It had been sent just after 2am, so probably not long after Tony finally fell asleep. BrooklynDaddy had stayed up so late with him, even though Tony knew the man had to work today. He slowly got up, putting his feet on the floor and padding over to the computer. He took his phone with him as he logged into the chatroom, feeling a little ashamed for having ignored it for so long. His stomach fluttered with butterflies when he saw that BrooklynDaddy and Winter were the only two people logged in. Neither of them were speaking and he assumed that they were having a private chat. 

**Ir0nMan** : hi

Okay, so it was a lame greeting. Tony just didn’t know what else to say. Part of him felt like closing the chat, deleting BrooklynDaddy’s number and pretending this whole thing had never happened. But a much larger part of him rebelled against that. The kindness that BrooklynDaddy had shown him was something that Tony _craved_. He hadn’t even known how much he wanted it until last night, but now that he knew it was impossible to ignore.

The idea of being a Little still sounded embarrassing. He thought it would be hard to let yourself be that vulnerable. But he also thought it might be worth it if he got to have that feeling of being cared of consistently. Remembering all those chat conversations and forum posts he’d read made his chest ache. He finally understood what people meant when they said they were one or the other. It wasn’t something you could choose, it was something that you were.

And he certainly wasn’t going to get what he needed from anywhere else. Already his phone was lighting up with texts from Obie. Tony sighed and raised his eyes, looking back at the screen of his computer instead.

 **BrooklynDaddy** : baby! r u ok?  
 **Winter** : hi ir0nman how r u

Their concern was, for a split second, overwhelming. Tony had to take a deep breath and compose himself before he could type out a reply.

 **Ir0nMan** : im ok better 2day  
 **Ir0nMan** : thx for last nite  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : oh baby it was my pleasure  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : ill help u whenever u need me

Tony blushed again, that squirmy feeling in his stomach getting strong. 

**Winter** : uve done it now ir0nman  
 **Winter** : uve awakened the great mother hen  
 **Winter** : hell never leave u alone now  
 **Winter** : be prepared 2 be daddy’d 2 death  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : BUCKY

In spite of himself, Tony giggled. Bucky must’ve been Winter’s real name. He wondered what BrooklynDaddy’s real name was. He remembered the first time he’d ever logged into the chatroom, and how greeneyes had classified BrooklynDaddy as a mother hen even then. He suspected that she and Winter were both right, but there was no part of Tony that was bothered by that. Being smothered, or “daddy’d” as Winter put it, sounded like heaven.

 **Winter** : just admit it u know its true  
 **Winter** : better the baby learns it now than later  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : oh for  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : don’t call him that i told you ir0nman wasnt sure  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : and i am NOT a mother hen!!!!!!  
 **Ir0nMan** : i might be  
 **Ir0nMan** : i dont know but  
 **Ir0nMan** : i liked last night

Tony’s heart thudded behind his ribs. There was something about the chatroom that drew more honesty out of him than he was really comfortable with, but it was like he couldn’t control it. The words just spilled out – or rather, his fingers just typed them out before his brain could kick in. It was nervewracking, but if he couldn’t admit it to the people on the chatroom then who could he admit it to?

 **Winter** : u dont have 2 decide right away its ok to be unsure  
 **Winter** : havin said that i think u just made steve’s night

Steve! BrooklynDaddy’s real name was Steve. Something in Tony eased at knowing that bit of information. Steve. It was such a nice, normal name. A strong name. Tony couldn’t help picturing a big, confident man. A man who would know exactly what he was doing, and who would be capable of taking control of a situation – or a person. 

**BrooklynDaddy** : BUCKY  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : knock it off ur going to scare him away  
 **Winter** : come off it steve u want him to be urs thats not a bad thing  
 **Winter** : u would just dance around this 4ever  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : like u and nat danced around each other  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : dont even get me started on u and clint sam finally had to intervene  
 **Winter** : that was different clint had a daddy before and so did nat  
 **Winter** : ir0nman is all new to this and he needs someone to guide him so u better get ur ass in gear before some other lousy daddy scoops him up  
 **Winter** : u know what could happen

Tony couldn’t help raising his eyebrows. He was slightly insulted by the implication that he couldn’t take care of himself, but that was far outshadowed by the hope flashing through him. BrooklynDaddy had been so nice last night, and now… if was interpreting their rapid-fire banter correctly, could he really want Tony like that? For this? It seemed to be too good to be true. 

He was a little curious about what Winter meant by a “lousy daddy”, but he also wasn’t sure he wanted to ask. If lousy daddies were anything like Tiberius Stone or Sunset Bain, then Tony didn’t want to know. He had ample experience with people like that. Sometimes he still woke up from nightmares that featured Sunset’s cruel smile or Tiberius’s too-tight grip.

 **BrooklynDaddy** : i would never let that happen  
 **Winter** : im just saying  
 **Ir0nMan** : um  
 **Winter** : oh shit

Tony smiled, amused. Had they forgotten that he was around?

 **Ir0nMan** : its ok  
 **Ir0nMan** : but i dont really know what it means to be a little  
 **Ir0nMan** : i wouldnt be very good at it

There. Honesty. Neither of them could fault him for that. He held his breath, watching the blinking cursor. All of his old fears about sounding stupid and young rushed back over him, but he was almost positive that Winter and BrooklynDaddy wouldn’t think that way.

Almost positive. Like 99%.

 **BrooklynDaddy** : baby u r perfect the way u r and im sure u will be a great little u have already come such a long way and im proud o f u  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : if u want my help then you have it i would be proud to call u my little

BrooklynDaddy really did want him. Tony breathed a bit easier and smiled. It was a weird feeling to know that someone wasn’t rejecting him outright. That didn’t mean things wouldn’t go sour further down the line – he kind of expected that to happen now, considering that the times where things had gone wrong far outweighed the times that it hadn’t – but it was good to know that, for the short-term, maybe things could be okay. He was willing to trust BrooklynDaddy a little after last night.

 **Ir0nMan** : ok but i dont know what to do  
 **Ir0nMan** : im not comfortable meeting up in person yet

Because he wasn’t. Not until he could figure out how to tell BrooklynDaddy that he was _the_ Tony Stark, heir to Stark Industries and the Stark fortune that went along with it. Typically he got one of two responses when people found that out: either people got angry because they didn’t like the Starks and stopped being friendly, or people got _too_ friendly. Tony was only four when he figured out that most of his “friends” were really just leaches who wanted money or fame. It was a hard-earned lesson he’d never forgotten.

 **BrooklynDaddy** : thats ok we can roleplay in here or in a private chat we dont even have to text each other if you prefer i can lose ur number

Tony frowned. Roleplaying sounded a little… cheap? He didn’t know what other compromise he’d expected, but it didn’t seem right to make BrooklynDaddy resign himself to such a second-rate relationship. He was literally about to say as much when Winter chimed in.

 **Winter** : roleplaying is a good way to figure some things out   
**Winter** : thats how i began with both of my littles  
 **Winter** : we met in the chatroom but we roleplayed for like 6 months before we actually met in person  
 **Winter** : and even then we still roleplayed a lot because we were more comfortable with it  
 **Winter** : it was almost a year before any of us were comfortable in person and we live together not but we still like to roleplay on here because its fun right steve?  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : yes roleplaying is fun i really enjoy it and i havent had the chance to do it for a long time i always seem 2 to be workin when everyone else does  
 **Ir0nMan** : ur not working now?  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : not at all

They were probably humoring him. Tony was smart enough to know that. But when the private chat window from BrooklynDaddy popped up, he couldn’t resist clicking on it. He noticed that both Winter and BrooklynDaddy left the main chat at the same time; he had to wonder if they were corresponding in a different way, and Winter had left so that Tony wouldn’t feel guilty for stealing BrooklynDaddy away.

 **BrooklynDaddy** : have u ever roleplayed b4?  
 **Ir0nMan** : not really  
 **Ir0nMan** : but i can figure it out  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : im sure u can ur such a smart little baby  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : r u ok starting with a scenario where ur really little  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : then if u dont like it next time we can age u up  
 **Ir0nMan** : sure thats fine  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : i walk into ur nursery. the sun is shining and its a beautiful day and im thinking we should go 2 the park and play on the swings. i pull the curtains open to let some light in2 the room. i walk over to ur crib and look down at u. i smile and say good morning

Tony flushed. He couldn’t help it. He’d never blushed so much in his _life_ , but this was also far from anything that he was used to. People had called him smart before, but usually with an edge of condescension or patronization. This didn’t feel anything like that. He licked his lips, thought for a few seconds, and then responded.

 **Ir0nMan** : im tired because i had nightmares last night so im cranky  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : poor baby! i lift u up and give u a hug  
 **Ir0nMan** : the hug feels nice enough that i lean into it. im sleepy. i want to fall asleep on ur shoulder

God. Tony chewed nervously at his thumbnail. He was anxious and a little embarrassed, but everything they were writing was also invoking some nice feelings too. He could admit, if only to himself, that he really liked the thought of trusting someone enough to fall asleep on their shoulder. The last person he’d felt that comfortable with was Rhodey.

 **BrooklynDaddy** : im overwhelmed because of how sweet u r and i hug u a little closer bcuz of that. i want 2 hold u in my arms 4ever. but i have to look after u 1st so i check ur diaper

Diaper?! Tony choked a bit.

 **BrooklynDaddy** : its wet and i realize u need to be changed before u get a bad rash   
**Ir0nMan** : i dont want 2 be changed

Tony’s face was turning even redder just thinking about it. When BrooklynDaddy said ‘really little’, Tony hadn’t realized he meant _this_ little. He was pretty sure none of the other Littles in the chatroom had been this little. The thought of being changed amplified the squirmy, butterflies feeling in his stomach by a thousand. 

**BrooklynDaddy** : i know u dont baby but i have 2 rashes r painful and i dont want my little boy going thru that  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : so i walk over to the changing table and put a fresh diaper on the table everything i need is right at hand i shift ur weight to 1 hand and get the diaper cream and baby powder with the other  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : then i set u down on the table

What did babies do when they didn’t want to be changed? What would Tony do?

 **Ir0nMan** : i start crying because i dont want this i dont like being changed  
 **Ir0nMan** : i try 2 push u away and squirm off the table  
 **Ir0nMan** : i think i can run away  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : i laugh bcuz u r so cute  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : i gently push u back down and remove ur diaper  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : ive had experience with babies so i am fast. i clean u up with a baby wipe and rub some diaper cream onto u  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : then i sprinkle on some baby powder and just like that ur all good 2 go

Well, at least it was over quickly. Tony rubbed a shaking hand over his face and slid the tip of his thumb into his mouth. 

**BrooklynDaddy** : i offer u a pacifier

A pacifier. Accepting it felt like it would be a key moment. Tony gently closed his teeth around his thumb and sighed. He’d come this far. The roleplaying had been a little awkward and embarrassing, but nothing that was over the top or that had changed Tony’s mind – if anything, he kind of liked the attention. And more than one person had accused him of having an oral fixation.

 **Ir0nMan** : im still crying but i take it and suck on it  
 **Ir0nMan** : i dont like laying on the table i reach out to u  
 **BrooklynDaddy** : i pick u up and hug u

Oh. Okay. Yeah. Tony swallowed and blinked and swallowed again. Someone who was actually willing to give him a hug if he asked for it… Yeah. Tony could do this.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [tumblr](http://tsuki-chibi.tumblr.com/).


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